By Brad Townsend / Reporterbtownsend@dallasnews.com1:46 pm on February 8, 2013

The Feb. 21 NBA trade deadline is approaching. Shawn Marion doesn’t know if his name will be wafting in trade winds, but he says this much is for certain:

“The thing is, right now, you come into a position like I am, this is my 14th season,” Marion, 34, said after practice Friday. “If I’m going to get traded, they’re going to tell me what’s going on and where I’m going.

“Because if I’m going to a (crummy) situation, I’m not going. It’s just that simple.”

Marion does not have the ability, by contract, to veto trades, but he does have a 15-percent trade-kicker clause. That means any team that acquires Marion would have to pay the remainder of his $8.4 million 2012-13 salary, plus 15-percent of his salary.

“At this time, I’m too old to be trying to go through a (bad situation). . . and not have a chance to do anything,” Marion said. “I’m at a point where I want to be playing for something right now.”

Marion probably doesn’t have to worry about going to a mediocre team. His versatility and production would seemingly make him attractive addition to a contending team, but there is no reason to believe a rebuilding, non-contending team would want to take on a 34-year-old who after this season has one year left on his contract, at $9.3 million.

One could argue that the Mavericks aren’t a great situation right now. They are 21-28 and are an extreme longshot to make the playoffs. Marion does, however, have luxurious home here and a legacy, having been a key contributor to Dallas’ 2011 NBA championship.

Would Marion be open to going to a team that has a chance to contend for a title?

“That’s the only way I’m going, yeah,” Marion said. “That’s it. That’s the only possibility that could come out of that. Other than that, it ain’t happening.”

Mark Cuban has been open about the Mavericks aggressively exploring opportunities to trade the No. 13 overall pick.

Cuban is adamant, however, that the rumors about the Mavs being willing to part with the pick for minimal return if a team takes Shawn Marion’s $9.32 million salary off their hands are inaccurate. Cuban insists that the Mavs have not had any talks with teams about trading Marion. \

“Not a single discussion,” Cuban said via email to ESPNDallas.com.

At the moment, the Mavs have $41.81 million worth of commitments and cap holds that would count against next season’s cap, which is expected to be set at $58.5 million. That number could increase by six figures if they opt to keep Brandan Wright’s Early Bird rights and/or the nonguaranteed contracts of Bernard James and Josh Akognon.

The Mavs need to make some cuts to have enough cap space to offer Dwight Howard a max contract, which would have a first-year salary of $20.51 million. That’s why they are shopping the lottery pick that comes with a cap hold of $1.66 million.

Trading Marion into another team’s cap space would create enough wiggle room for the Mavs to sign a max player (Howard or Chris Paul) and likely another starter. However, Cuban has repeatedly referenced the 35-year-old Marion’s value to the Mavs and expressed interest in re-signing the only player other than Dirk Nowitzki who remains on the roster from the 2011 title team.

Something else worth considering with the Marion rumors: The Mavs probably wouldn’t do themselves any favors in their pursuit of Howard if they dealt Marion to a team he considers undesirable. Agent Dan Fegan represents both Howard and Marion.